Just as my word, I'm a lover of short stories that are right to the point and end in their prime. It's just the way I am. This is the LAST chapter of the story. Thank you for reading my story!
Chapter Seven- What Happens now?
Kristina and Mort had settled themselves into a routine after that for the next month. They never bedded through the month though, staying only in the kissing area. They both felt they moved too quickly, and both needed breathing space.
Every night after visiting Mort, Kristina would come home happier then she felt in years. Her faithful dog, still barked whenever Mort dared come too close to the house.
"You know, I hear neutering a dog helps calm them down." Mort suggested one night in a joking manner. Shadow growled at Mort through the screen door, as if he had heard.
"And never see the pups of my dear shadow? I think not!" Kristina said in an offended tone, though she was joking also.
"Oh Well." Mort said, kicking the dirt around with his foot. "You think it would help if I got neutered?"
Kristina blinked in shock for a second before bursting out laughing. "I still think he would bark at you."
"What if I barked back?" Mort questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"But you have no bite." Kristina countered.
Mort stepped foreword and wrapped an arm around Kristina's waist. "Oh really now?" Mort questioned, placing his cheek against her ear. He let out a low growl. "I think I have the bite to back up the bark."
Kristina shivered at the sound and the vibrations from his cheek on her ear. "Maybe a flea bite."
Mort backed up a little, looking offended. "Just a flea?"
"Just a flea." Kristina said back. Mort gave her a pouting look. Sticking out his lip and everything. She chuckled and leaned in. They kissed, letting their lips do the work.
Kristina bounced on her couch, thinking about her last date with Mort. He was so kind and gentle! He was so romantic too! Kristina sighed, before getting to work with her photo album she was supposed to have sent to the magazine two weeks ago.
She couldn't decide between the mountain range picture and the picture of a deer down by the water with its fawn. She shrugged, and put both pictures in the envelope.
"Problem solved." She said with a grin. She put the stamp on it, and put it in her mail box. Shadow happily padding behind her. His tail wagging from side to side.
"Shadow. Let's go see Mort now. I want to see if he wants to go see that new movie, Troy!" Kristina said, making herself sick with how much she sounded like a school girl talking about her crush.
Shadow barked up at her.
"Come on! Mort isn't a bad guy. I'll prove it to you." Kristina said, patting Shadow on the head. Shadow whined. Kristina moved to her car and opened the door. "Come on you big baby."
Shadow jumped into the back seat. Kristina hopped into her car and drove off to see Mort.
Mort, in the mean time, was glaring down at the computer screen. His story had not been doing so well. He was able to write one more line.
The hunter slowly moved in the shadows, ready to pounce at an unannounced time, binding every second which made time almost stand still for the prey.
Mort played with the slinky on his brand new desk (which was delivered a week late!), when a sudden noise on his porch made him stand up. It sounded like something shuffling on his porch. Mort slowly walked down the stair case and to a window.
He leaned out to see who it was, but no one was in view. The shuffling noise also stopped suddenly. Mort shrugged and moved to go back upstairs, but the noise continued again. This time, a knock on his door.
"It must be Kristina!" Mort thought happily. He went over to the door and pulled it open. To his surprise, it wasn't Kristina.
"Hello Mr. Rainey. I thought I'd give you some time to read my script. Did you get to it?" Shooter questioned with that drawn out hick accent of his. Mort didn't think it was possible to draw out the word "get" another further without slowing down time.
"As a matter of fact, I lost it. Sorry. Can't help you. Bye." Mort said quickly, trying to shut the door, but Shooter put his foot in the door, stopping it.
"I don't think you lost it, Mr. Rainey. I reckon you just have it laying about." He passed a glance through the room. "I'll wait while you take a gander to find it."
Mort grumbled something under his breath before answering. "Look. I don't need a new story. I'm working a good one now."
"I think you have a problem with endings, Mr. Rainey. That's why your story isn't finished. It's not done yet." Shooter said. "You can't leave a story in the middle. You have to have an ending."
Mort closed his eyes for a second, trying to remain calm. He opened his eyes to find Shooter missing from the door way. Mort's eyebrows went together in confusion. He leaned out the door and looked around for Shooter, but he was no where in sight. Mort stood back, staring out his slightly ajar door.
"This is weird." Mort said to himself.
Mort! Get out of the house! NOW!
Mort glared at a spot on the door. "He's out there."
"No. I'm right behind you Mr. Rainey. Shooter's voice came drifting in. Mort turned around and found Shooter standing by the stair well. "I told you, you need an ending and I'm going to help you find one."
"I don't need any help finding one." Mort said.
"I reckon you could use a little help seeing as how that girl is distracting you from your story." Shooter said.
"Girl?" Mort questioned, not understanding at first. Then it dawned on him. "NO!" Mort said, jumping at Shooter, his hands out stretched to choke him. Shooter reached out, his aged face usually the picture of calm, turned to anger. He picked Mort up by the throat and held him against the wall.
"I'm tired of you being distracted from what's important Mr. Rainey. Now, you're pushing me to do this, you hear?" Shooter said, his face returning to his usual calm. "I'm only helping you by removing the distraction."
"You bastard! Don't you lay a hand on her!" Mort choked out, clawing at Shooter's wrist, his voice hoarse and fading.
"Now, you be still while I take care of business Mr. Rainey." Shooter said. A car was heard outside. Mort and shooter both looked out the kitchen window. It was Kristina's car. She got out. "Why, I didn't even have to go looking for her."
"You bastard." Mort said, passing out from the lack of oxygen.
Kristina walked up to the screen porch. She opened the door and walked onto the porch. She stopped just three feet of the door, feeling a very weird vibe coming from the house.
"What's the matter with me? It's just Mort's cabin. Nothing to be afraid of." Kristina thought to herself. She shook off her nervousness and all the screaming warnings her mind was giving her. She reached up to knock on the door, but the door opened before she could. Shadow barked from inside the car.
She leaned in but no one was around. "Mort?" She questioned, taking a step in. She looked around with confusion. She took another step in and closed the door behind her. "Mort! This isn't funny!"
A shadow passed by at the end of the hallway. Kristina's brows came together in confusion as she stepped closer to see. She walked through the living room, passed the woodened table. "Mort?"
"Hello, missy." A voice came to her, sending eerie shivers down her spine. Kristina turned around. She saw Mort, leaning near the stairs with a shadow across his face. A black farmer hat on his head. His glasses also casting a very eerie look across his face. His usually smiling face was drawn down into a sort of light frown, and his eyes were darkened. His whole posture changed, with his back stiff like one of those Amish men. His thumbs tucked into the pockets on his pants.
Kristina stared for a second, not sure of what to think. Wondering if Mort was just playing a trick on her. "Mort?" She questioned attentively.
"No. Mort's gone. He passed out a little while before you walked in." This dark Mort said.
"Who are you?" Kristina questioned, backing up away from this man. Something from her childhood coming back to her.
Her brother and father both suffered from a severe case of split personalities. This, is exactly how she spent most of her childhood: dealing with three types of Fathers, and five different types of her Brother. This, was no different, except for, she was used to those personalities. She wasn't used to this one. This one was new and looked evil.
"John Shooter. From Mississippi." He answered, taking slow steps foreword.
"Where's Mort?" Kristina questioned, knowing talking was the best answer in this situations, even though her mind was screaming at her legs to run.
"Running would only cause a violent reaction from him" Kristina reminded herself. This is why she hated talking about her family. She hated growing up like that and dealing with this all her life. "Why you Mort? WHY?"
"He's gone." Shooter said, keeping everything hidden.
"Why are you here?" Kristina took a step back.
"Why, I'm here to help Mr. Rainey. I only want what's best for him, is all. I don't know why he can't see that." Shooter said, getting closer to Kristina.
"What's best for Mort?" Kristina questioned.
"To not be distracted from his story."
"And why would you think he's distracted?"
"Because, he spends all his free time thinking about you! He doesn't get to work on his story like he should, even though he knows he has to get a new one out soon."
"You think I distract Mort from writing?"
"Yes. I know you do Missy, that's why you have to go. I'm real sorry about this, but I can't let him be distracted." Shooter said, pulling a screw driver from his back pocket.
This time Kristina listened to her mind and ran like hell! She ran through the little back hallway and tried to get outside, but the door was locked! Kristina picked up the bucket near the door, and threw it as hard as she could at Shooter. Shooter was hit on the hand, knocking the screw driver out, and making him grasp the hand in pain.
Kristina pushed past him, and tried to get to the front door. But Shooter was hot on her trail. He pushed the door closed when she tried to open it. Kristina screamed as he grabbed her hair and pulled her back away from the door. He dragged her to the living room and through her on the carpet.
Kristina sobbed as she groped the back of her head, trying to sooth the pain that was now growing on her skull. She looked over at Shooter who picked up the screwdriver and came closer to her.
"Please Mort! Help me!" She screamed.
"He won't hear you missy. He's gone." Shooter said, grabbing her arm. Kristina used her finger nails, trying to claw every inch of skin that was near her. Her finger looped around the friendship bracelet. She tugged on it and the string broke.
The bead slipped from the string and fell onto the floor. Shooter stared down at the beads that bounced off the wooden floor.
"Mr. Rainey, don't you start your fussing too." Shooter mumbled.
"Mort?" Kristina questioned, looking over into the face of Mort.
Mort! Mort! wake up mort. Kristina needs you.(voice)
What? Why can't I open my eyes?(Mort)
Shooter's in control of your body. You have to get back in control.
How can I do that when I don't even know what's going on?
You Idiot! Shooter's about the MURDER Kristina! Get your lazy ass up and do something about it you fucking moron!
Hey! Who the hell are you calling a... Kristina's in trouble?! How the hell do I stop him! Kristina!!!
Well, shouting isn't going to help idiot. Please stay with me on this one. You need to take control.
How do I do that?
Stop being afraid of everything not going your way.
What does that have to do with anything?
Everything! Duh! You MADE shooter because YOUR life was falling apart and YOU were AFRAID that YOU couldn't do ANYTHING!
How do I stop him?
sigh Do I have to do everything around here?
Just tell me.
Fine, fine.
The voice became lighter and sounded different then before. It sounded, like a woman.
You have to think of yourself as the real you. You have to take control of yourself. Know that Shooter can't harm anything! Stop giving him power! You feed him when you're afraid. That's why he is able to hurt you. Stop him.
I'll try.
I know you will.
Mort took a deep breath and started chanting to himself "I'm the real one. Shooter's fake." Shooter's voice drifted to Mort, stopping Mort from thinking correctly.
"You can't live without me Mort! You know you can't!" Shooter said.
can I? Mort questioned.
Fight him Mort! I know you can win!
"I'm Real and you're fake Shooter! I control my body and my life! I don't need you anymore, I never needed you!" Mort shouted. Suddenly aware that he was staring at the floor of his cabin. He blinked in confusion. His hand was gripping something. Rather, someone. He turned and saw Kristina, looking at him with frightened eyes. "Kristina?"
"Mort?" She questioned. Mort nodded and lossened his hold on her. Kristina let out a sob of happiness. "Mort! I was so scared!"
"I'm sorry! I couldn't control him. But now, now I can! I can!" Mort said happily. "I feel great and refreshed! I haven't felt like this, well... before I could remember!"
Kristina offered him a smile before leaning onto his shoulder. She felt very faint right now.
"Kristina?" Mort questioned. That's when he noticed his other hand was holding onto something. He looked down and saw a small pool of blood on the floor. He pulled back and saw that his had was holding onto a bloody screwdriver. A mess of blood was on Kristina's shirt right in her stomach. "No... No!" Mort said, his eyes pricking with tears.
He dropped the screwdriver like it was red hot and came up to her. She flinched away from him. He pulled back, as if she slapped him. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" He mumbled quickly, over and over again.
"Please, just... call for someone." Kristina said in a faint voice.
"You'll never trust me again." Mort said, moving over, defeated, to the phone. He picked it up and dialed 911.A week later
Mort walked nervously up to the door of Kristina's room. Before he turned the corner where her room was, two women were standing there.
"I told her to stay away from that Mort Rainey, but she just HAD to go." The first woman said.
Mort sighed, fingering the flowers in his hands.
"Can you believe her? She STILL insists that Mr. Rainey had nothing to do with this and that he is a sweet man." The second woman said. "She only flinches every time we mention his name." Rolling her eyes.
"She's defending me too?" Mort thought. "She's too good to me. And too Good for me."
The two women walked down the hallway, leaving the door unblocked. Mort walked around and opened the door. He peaked in and saw her asleep on the hospital bed. The wheel of fortune on the little set.
Mort walked up and put the flowers on the bedside table, sitting down in a chair next to her.
"Don't think you can sneak in on me." Kristina said, her voice laced with exhaustion.
"Shouldn't you be asleep?" Mort questioned.
"Shouldn't you be in New York promoting your new book?" Kristina questioned with the same tone Mort just used on her.Mort let out a chuckle. She was quickly recovering from her physical attack, but her emotional attack was a slow moving recovery. "I took the liberty of taking care of your dog."
Kristina smiled. "Oh I bet that was loads of fun for you! What did he chew up first? A shoe? A book? Your leg?"
Mort laughed out loud this time for a few short seconds, before answering with a smile still on his face. "My leg first, then my $200 shoe, just one not the pair. Apparently only my left foot tastes good." Kristina let out a chuckle. "And then my limited edition of Lord of the Rings and a copy of 'The Rum diary'."
"Let me guess. The pages were in two million pieces, half of which are in his stomach or in the yard by now. And the cover wasn't so much as scratched?" Kristina questioned.
"How does he do that?" Mort questioned.
They both laughed.
"I think he got his love of books from you." Kristina said.
"Oh joy and rapture." Mort said with fake happiness.Kristina reached over, wincing when her wound was moved, but wrapped a hand around Mort's wrist. Mort watched her small hands move over his wrist.
"I broke the friendship bracelet. I didn't mean to." Kristina said, eyeing the spot on his wrist where the bracelet used to be.
"It's ok. I figured this is a new start for us. This time, we're going to do it right." Mort said, looking up into her eyes. "No more secretes and no more crazy hicks."
Kristina chuckled a bit. "Ok. I'll try."
"Visiting time is up Mr. Rainey." The nurse said.
"Ok. I'll be out in a second." Mort called after her as she moved out of the room. Mort turned his attention back to Kristina. "Just remember Kristina. As long as you'll have me, I'll be you friend. Ok?"
"Just a friend?" Kristina questioned.
"For now. We'll talk about anything else later." Mort said.
"But, I was hoping to be more." Kristina said, looking down at their still locked hands.
"Why? Mort questioned, honestly wanting to know. He had nearly killed her! He couldn't understand why she insisted that he visit her and why she still wanted him in her life. Mort was better off left alone in solitude.
"After this first happened, I sat for three days straight thinking everything over. From what this Shooter meant for us and what it meant to me. Every sense in my body is telling me to stay away from you." Kristina said. Mort flinched away. She let out a sigh, then continued. "But, when I look into your eyes Mort, I know you're a good person. And since we're no longer keeping secretes, I have one I need to tell you."
Mort looked up at her in confusion. He met that he was no longer going to keep secretes.
"The reason why I'm not scared of you, is because I grew up around this sort of thing. Having most people in my family suffering from some form of spilt personalities. I'm not so surprised that the one I fell in love with, would suffer from the same fate." Kristina said, her hand now resting on Mort's cheek. They looked each other in the eye. "I want to be with you Because, Mort, when the Doctors... when they looked at my wound in X-ray..." They both winced at the memory. "They found something."
Mort stared up at her, his other hand covering her had that was still holding onto his cheek.
"I... I'm... we're having a child." Kristina said, staring down at the bed, not sure she should look up at him just yet.
Mort gulped. "A baby?"
"Yes... a little boy." Kristina said, nodding her head.
Mort looked up at her and stood up. "Can you excuse me for a second?" Mort questioned. Kristina nodded. Mort walked slowly out into the hallway. Kristina's eyes starting tearing up. She was sure he would run now that she was pregnant. That's when she heard his voice.
"HOT DAMN! WHOA! IM GOING TO BE A DAD!"
Kristina couldn't control herself and started laughing, despite her wound throbbing in pain from it. Mort calmly walked back in and sat down on the edge of her bed. "I couldn't be more upset."
Kristina burst out laughing. Mort shortly joined her, followed by lots of hugging and kissing. Then followed by suggestions of the name.
After an hour of debate, they came up with Jack Christopher Rainey.
That night
Mort walked up to his cabin, whistling "Dont worry; be happy". Only pausing to stare at the small black spot in his otherwise green yard. The very day Kristina went to the hospital, Mort burned Shooter's hat.
Shadow, as always at Mort's house, sat on the porch until Mort came home. Shadow tilted his head to the side, knowing something was going on.
Mort smiled and petted Shadow on the head. "Guess what Shadow? I'm going to be a dad of a baby boy!"
Shadow barked and licked Mort's hand as if to congratulate him. Mort had exaggerated when he said Shadow and him didn't get along. In fact, Shadow had been very nice to Mort and often followed Mort around like a lost puppy. (Shadow knew that Shooter was gone now)
Mort would happily tell anyone who was willing to listen that he hadn't had a single voice in his head since the day he fought Shooter.
Mort sat down on his couch with Shadow curling up beside him. Shadow laid his head in Mort's lap and mort gently stroked him on the head. The happy thumping sound from his tail being heard around the cabin.
Mort had taken the day after the incident to figure out what exactly happened. He had figured out the voice that saved him from Shooter was non other then Kristina's. She saved him and he saved her, in their own ways.
Mort smiled as he remembers the last chapter of his story.
When the hunter did finally pounce, he was caught in a trap set up by the other creatures who loved the sweet and innocent girl of the forest. He moaned in pain and tucked hard on the bear teeth trap that had snared his leg.
The girl, who was frightened at first of the beast that laid before her, now looked at him in pity. She inched foreword, only to be snapped at by the beast.
"GO away!" The beast had shouted, but the girl still inched foreword. The beast stayed still to see what she would do. Instead of killing him off, like he would have done had she been caught in such a horrible trap, She wrapped her delicate fingers around the trap and pulled him free, only to have her hand cut open by the sharp edges of the trap.
She fell backwards onto the ferns of the forest, clutching her aching hand, blood pouring from the sweet wound.
The beast, taken back by what she had done for him, came up to her, no longer foe. The girl had helped the beast when she could have killed him to save herself, but did not do such a thing. He took her hand in his own and decided never to let her go. For he would protect her forever for her deed and he, would forever be captivated by her kindness.
The End
Thank you to every one who reviewed and even those would didn't take the time to review, but still read it and continued the read. I still care about you guys too! (I do the same thing most of the time. I forget to leave reviews! Sorry authors!)
I was originally going to end the whole story with Mort sitting on the porch and Shadow coming up beside him and sitting down, finally those two getting along. Then they both just stare out into the sun set as Shooter's hat burns in the front yard. BUT THAT WAS BORING! LOL.
I figured that this was a better ending. And yes, Jack Christopher is a real name, but the last name was replaced. Jack Christopher is actually Johnny Depp's Son's name. Cool huh?
Thank you to-
Weirdkendogirl (My beta reader. I love you girl!), RachTheEvilBitcateer-NonEunuch, Dawnie-7, Jack-Sparrow-Lover, Nomad6, Moviesavvy, Lykosdracos, Rachel Sparrow, JoannaRose, Rosalind Carelli, Mina aka: mockingbird, Raven-Padfoot-Marauder, smoochies221, and Pirate's Wench.
If I have time this week, I will write an extra scene on the end for all you fans. Please leave a little review at the end so I know you read this story. Thank you all!